354 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



ing for the defence of her independ- 

 ance. Under these circumstances 

 lieutenant-general sir D. Baird, 

 commanderof the British divisionin 

 Castile and Leon, informs the royal 

 subjects of these kingdoms, that he 

 has just received orders from his 

 excellency sir J. Moore, commander 

 in chief of his Britannic majesty's 

 army in Spain, to unite his forces 

 with those of the said general, with- 

 out loss of time, by the road of 

 Portugal. The object of this move- 

 ment is in no respect to evacuate 

 Spain, or to abandon a cause so 

 dear to Great Britain. The only 

 design is, to combine the whole of 

 the British forces, in order to ena- 

 ble them to act in a situation where 

 they can render their services more 

 beneficial. Gallicia, strong by na- 

 ture, does not require for its protec- 

 tion a more numerous army, nor 

 can it possess a more gallant one 

 than the army of the left ; compos- 

 ed principally of the courageous 

 youth of the kingdom (province) 

 which is now united in Leon under 

 the orders of the highly distinguish- 

 ed commander his excellency the 

 marquis de la Romana. The resort 

 of more troops, in the present cir- 

 cumstances, in the defiles of the 

 mountains, would be prejudicial, 

 since they would consume the pro- 

 visions and other resources of the 

 country, without increasingitssecu- 

 rity. — To the worthy inhabitants of 

 these kingdoms the most grateful 

 acknowledgments are due from the 

 British forces, for the hospitality 

 and friendship with which they have 

 been treated in every situation : and 

 the lieutenant-general hopes that 

 the feelings of reciprocal attachment 

 and respect will prevail, not only 

 now, but that they will continue to 

 animate both nations to the latest 



posterity.— In taking leave of the 

 subjects of this part of the Penin- 

 sula, the lieutenant-general feels it 

 to be his duty to exhort them, by 

 the loyalty they owe to their sove- 

 reign, by the affection they bear to 

 their families, and by all that is sa- 

 cred in religion, to unite for the 

 protection of their country. Unless 

 the government and the people 

 combine their utmost efforts in this 

 just and honourable cause, Spain 

 will be exposed to the most serious 

 danger; but if these endeavours be 

 not wanting, under the direction of 

 Divine Providence, all will termi- 

 nate in victory and happiness. 



Palafox's Dispatch to the Central 

 Junta.— December 3, 1808. 

 Seignor — This capital has re- 

 cently given an additional proof of 

 that heroic patriotism and attach- 

 ment to its sovereign which distin- 

 guish and characterise it. On the 

 30th of November, in the dusk of 

 theevening, theenemy,being about 

 12,000 men in number, made their 

 appearance in the quarter of Torre- 

 ro and Casa Blanca, having comeby 

 Muel and Muria, on the roads from 

 Madrid and Valencia. Part of 

 them took post on the road, on a 

 height situated between the hermi- 

 tages of Soledad and Santa Barba- 

 ra, and commanding La Casa Blan- 

 ca; the rest ascended, under cover 

 of the Ravine de la Muerre which 

 covers Torrero, and took possession 

 of the Carthusian monastery of Con- 

 ception. They had a considerable 

 body at Alagon, and we were in- 

 formed that SjOOO men were advan- 

 cing by way of Tauste and Castejon 

 de Baldejussa a Zuera, in order to 

 attack us at four points. The whole 

 of the garrison were immediately 



ordered 



